The Locomotives Of The Great Western Railway

British Railways’ David Maidment presents a pictorial history of the county class trains designed by George Jackson Churchward and F. W. Hawksworth. The Great Western Railway had two classes of tender locomotives named after counties. The first class of two cylinder 4-4-0 tender locomotives, designed by George Jackson Churchward, were introduced in the 1900s to provide efficient motive power, including lines on the North & West route between Hereford and Shrewsbury, owned jointly by the Great Western and the London and North Western Railway. The 4-4-0 counties were in service until the early 1930s, when they were withdrawn and replaced by more modern motive power. The 4-4-0 counties were paralleled in design by the county 4-4-2 tanks, which operated suburban services in the London area and were also withdrawn in the early 1930s. In 1945, the Great Western introduced the County Class 4-6-0 tender locomotives, designed by F. W. Hawksworth. These two cylinder machines had a high pressure boiler that was meant to give the same tractive effort as a Castle Class 4-6-0, four cylinder locomotive. After modifications and boiler pressure reduction, the County Class 4-6-0s operated in express and semi fast train service, until the last members of the class were withdrawn in 1964. Great Western, County Classes: The Churchward 4-4-0s, 4-4-2 Tanks and Hawksworth 4-6-0s details the fascinating history of the trains that were a crucial part of England’s twentieth century transportation system.

The Great Western Railway experienced the trauma and disruption of the end of the broad gauge in 1892 and were faced with equipping the network with suitable motive power, especially in Devon and Cornwall where the last track conversion had taken place. West of Newton Abbot, the GWR had relied on a variety of 4-4-0, 2-4-0, 0-4-2 and 0-4-4 side and saddle tanks, often doubled-headed, and Dean set about designing a sturdy outside-framed powerful 4-4-0 with 5ft 8in coupled wheels, the 'Dukes', to tackle increasing loads over the heavily graded main line. Then, Churchward came to assist the ailing Locomotive Superintendent, using his knowledge and experience of American and continental practice to develop the Dean designs. He improved the efficiency and performance of the boilers, using the Belgian Belpaire firebox, then developed the tapered 'cone' boiler, and applied it to the chassis of the 'Duke's to form the 'Camel' class, later known as the 'Bulldogs', which eventually numbered 156 locomotives. Finally, in the 1930s when engines of the 'Duke' route availability were still required but their frames were life-expired, their boilers were matched with the stronger frames of the 'Bulldogs' to form the 'Dukedog' class, which lasted until the 1950s, particularly on the former Cambrian lines in mid-Wales. This book recounts the design, construction and operation of these small-wheeled outside-framed locomotives with many rare photos of their operation in the first decade of the twentieth century as well as in more recent times.